Inside the Dark Arrow One: Building Gear Struts for High-Speed Flight

✈️The gear struts for the Dark Arrow One are an essential component for high-speed long-range flight.

🔩The struts are constructed using carbon fiber and metallic components, which are bonded and bolted together.

💡Fiberglass is used to insulate and prevent galvanic corrosion between the metallic components and the carbon fiber struts.

⚙️Machining challenges, including thin-walled features and concentric holes, were overcome during the production of the struts.

🔧Temporary fasteners are used during the assembly process, and modifications will be made for the final production version.

What material is used to construct the gear struts?

—The gear struts are constructed using carbon fiber and metallic components.

Why is fiberglass used to insulate the metallic components?

—Fiberglass is used to prevent galvanic corrosion, which can occur when dissimilar metals come into contact with each other.

What machining challenges were encountered during production?

—Machining challenges included working with thin-walled features and creating concentric holes in the struts.

Are the temporary fasteners used in the assembly process permanent?

—No, temporary fasteners are used during the assembly process and will be replaced with permanent fasteners for the final production version.

Will there be any modifications made for the final production version?

—Yes, modifications will be made for the final production version to improve the assembly process and overall design.

00:00Introduction and overview of the Dark Arrow One aircraft and the gear struts.

02:13Explanation of the construction and bonding process of the gear struts.

05:57Discussion of machining challenges and modifications for the production version.

08:02Overview of the full assembly and how it fits into the fuselage.